This invention generally relates to a method for vehicle scheduling and sequencing and more particularly, to a method for scheduling and sequencing automotive vehicles for manufacture.
Automotive vehicles are typically manufactured or assembled in a sequential or xe2x80x9cassembly linexe2x80x9d process or procedure. The procedures performed in this assembly and/or manufacturing process are dependent upon the characteristics, options and accessories of the vehicles being produced. Particularly, different and/or additional procedures must be performed based upon customer demands and orders for particular vehicle characteristics, options, and accessories (e.g., paint colors, spoilers, moon-roofs, power seats, power windows, and other characteristics, options and accessories). As a result of fluctuating consumer and dealer demands and a limited number of available manufacturing facilities and time, vehicles having different characteristics, options and accessories are often assembled within the same location, facility or plant, and within the same assembly line.
Because of the varying steps required to manufacture vehicles having different characteristics and/or accessories, it is sometimes beneficial (e.g., reducing direct labor, parts inventories, and paint costs, while increasing equipment and floor space utilization) to assemble xe2x80x9csimilarxe2x80x9d vehicles (e.g., cars having similar characteristics, options and accessories) in relatively close proximity to one another in order of sequence, and other times these similar vehicles should be spaced at the maximum distance apart. For example and without limitation, vehicles of the same color are typically sequenced, arranged or grouped close together in the assembly procedure in order to reduce the switching of paint colors in paint booths. For assembly of accessories requiring extra labor or equipment availability (i.e., moon-roofs and cellular telephones), it is desirable to maximize the distance between vehicles with the same accessories or characteristics. Finally, for certain vehicle characteristics (i.e., identical body and paint characteristics), it is sometimes desirable to fix the distance between vehicles with the same characteristics. Due to the relatively wide variety of vehicle characteristics, options, and accessories, the scheduling and xe2x80x9csequencingxe2x80x9d of vehicles for manufacture is often relatively difficult to achieve in an efficient manner. As a result, manufacturing and production delays may occur which undesirably increase the overall time and cost of vehicle production.
There is therefore a need for a method for scheduling and sequencing vehicles for manufacture which allows vehicles to be assembled in an efficient manner.
It is a first object of the invention to provide a method for scheduling and sequencing vehicles for manufacture which allows vehicles to be assembled in an efficient manner.
It is a second object of the invention to provide a method for scheduling and sequencing vehicles for manufacture which ensures that vehicles having similar characteristics, options and accessories are assembled in relative close proximity to one another in order of sequence for certain characteristics, options and accessories and at a maximum or fixed distance for other characteristics, options and accessories.
It is a third object of the invention to provide a method for scheduling the manufacture of vehicles having a relatively wide variety of characteristics, options and accessories.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for arranging vehicles in an assembly sequence. The method includes the steps of receiving customer vehicle orders; assigning a complexity value to each of said received customer vehicle orders; selecting a lost customer vehicle order having a highest assigned complexity value; selecting a first rotation position within said assembly sequence; assigning said first customer vehicle order to said first rotation position; selecting a second customer vehicle order having a second highest assigned complexity value; computing a plurality of penalty values for said second customer vehicle order in a plurality of unassigned rotation positions within said sequence; selecting a second rotation position within said assembly sequence having a lowest penalty value for said second customer vehicle order; and assigning said second customer vehicle order to said second rotation position.
These and other objects, aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following specification and the attached drawings.